SC2 esports team members included in Blizzard layoffs

Members of the StarCraft II esports team were among the hundreds of Blizzard employees laid off on Tuesday (Feb 12). Esports coordinator Stewart Chen, Community Manager Andrew Dunne (aka Arkitas/Kibbelz), and Creative Producer/Senior Esports Manager Marc Olbertz tweeted that they were no longer with Blizzard Entertainment.

During an earnings call on Tuesday, Activision Blizzard reported that while the company had achieved record earnings in 2018, it had still fallen short of expectations in terms of "engagement" and "player investment." Activision Blizzard stock has fallen more than 40% over the past year.

AdministratorHey HP can you redo everything youve ever done because i have a small complaint?

While it is sad people are out of a job, i'm glad that actiblizz is reallocating those funds---into game development.

Actiblizz releases a new cod every year and it makes over a billion dollars every year every time. I would love to see that with other actiblizz ips. I'd be so busy I wouldn't have any time to look at other games from other companies. Hope they gear things up hard and have a dedicated team for each franchise instead of all that shuffling around nonsense they've been doing the last several years.

A lot of community figures are reacting with not just sadness but complete disbelief that Olbertz was laid off. Makes me wonder if Blizzards idea/commitment to WCS has changed after this earnings call compared to when they announced the 2019 circuit

On February 14 2019 10:07 FueledUpAndReadyToGo wrote:Sad for all that lost their jobs, and us Starcraft fans

A lot of community figures are reacting with not just sadness but complete disbelief that Olbertz was laid off. Makes me wonder if Blizzards idea/commitment to WCS has changed after this earnings call compared to when they announced the 2019 circuit

Kim Phan kept her post as far as I know so I think were good for this year since she's the one in charge (look I don't have a clue but gotta find comfort where you can)

On February 14 2019 09:29 narbsncharbs wrote:While it is sad people are out of a job, i'm glad that actiblizz is reallocating those funds---into game development.

Actiblizz releases a new cod every year and it makes over a billion dollars every year every time. I would love to see that with other actiblizz ips. I'd be so busy I wouldn't have any time to look at other games from other companies. Hope they gear things up hard and have a dedicated team for each franchise instead of all that shuffling around nonsense they've been doing the last several years.

no they reallocating those funds into the pockets of the shareholders

Nb.Drake / CoL_Drake / Original Joined TL.net Tuesday, 15th of March 2005

On February 14 2019 09:29 narbsncharbs wrote:While it is sad people are out of a job, i'm glad that actiblizz is reallocating those funds---into game development.

Actiblizz releases a new cod every year and it makes over a billion dollars every year every time. I would love to see that with other actiblizz ips. I'd be so busy I wouldn't have any time to look at other games from other companies. Hope they gear things up hard and have a dedicated team for each franchise instead of all that shuffling around nonsense they've been doing the last several years.

On February 14 2019 09:29 narbsncharbs wrote:While it is sad people are out of a job, i'm glad that actiblizz is reallocating those funds---into game development.

Actiblizz releases a new cod every year and it makes over a billion dollars every year every time. I would love to see that with other actiblizz ips. I'd be so busy I wouldn't have any time to look at other games from other companies. Hope they gear things up hard and have a dedicated team for each franchise instead of all that shuffling around nonsense they've been doing the last several years.

On February 14 2019 17:19 lechatnoir wrote:Record success and still lay-offs. Screw everything about a system that encourages this. So many people at the top lost all sense of proper priorities.

revenue is not profits. Profits in 2018 are $27 million lower than in 2017. when revenue is up and profits are down the standard move is to lower expenses. Blizzard's profit per $ of operating expense is the lowest out of Activision, Blizz, and King Digital. Circulating thru reddit is a list of 140 jobs Blizzard for which is hiring. Blizz is hiring.

Ray Kassar To David Crane : "you're no more important to Atari than the factory workers assembling the cartridges"